Hepatic inferior vena cava obstruction: treatment of two types with Gianturco expandable metallic stents.

Gianturco expandable metallic stents were used for treating six patients with inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction due to compression by large hepatic tumors and three patients with idiopathic obstruction of the hepatic IVC and Budd-Chiari syndrome who showed reocclusion or stenosis 3-21 months after previously performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). In all six patients with compression by hepatic tumors, stents dilated the IVC and debilitating edema of the lower body disappeared. In the three patients with idiopathic obstruction, stents were placed after repeat dilation of the lesions and Budd-Chiari syndrome did not recur during a follow-up period of 7-10 months. In two of the three, cavograms obtained 8 months after placement showed the channels to be open with minimal intimal thickening. Gianturco expandable metallic stents can correct IVC obstruction due to compression by hepatic tumors and are useful in preventing reocclusion of the IVC after PTA for the treatment of idiopathic obstruction. The authors recommend using tanem stents connected by at least two struts.